Draken, reeling from the powerful blow to his face, stood up with a visible fist mark and blood trickling from his mouth. While hurt, he wasn't seriously injured.
"Who are you?" he growled, sensing a formidable threat from his attacker.
The newcomer didn't answer. Instead, he effortlessly lifted Shirakawa, then Shanks and Buggy, carrying them by their collars as if they were kittens. He glanced at Catherine, who was lying next to Buggy, then picked her up as well.
He walked over to a sturdy tree and unceremoniously dumped them on the ground.
Returning to face Draken, he said in a cold, emotionless voice, "My name is Bullet."
"Are you with them?" Draken asked, gesturing towards the unconscious group.
"For now, we're on the same side."
It was Bullet who had arrived just in time. Shirakawa had fainted upon seeing him, trusting Bullet's strength to protect them.
"Any last words?" Bullet's voice was chilling.
"What do you mean?" Draken asked, confused.
"You hurt my crewmate. You don't deserve to live. If Roger finds out you're still alive, he'll just keep coming after you."
Despite seeing Roger as a rival, Bullet had gradually become part of the Roger Pirates' family.
"You think you can kill me?" Draken scoffed.
"I know I can. You're strong, but you're not on my level. You can't even sense it."
"Damn it! I'll show you!"
Draken charged at Bullet with incredible speed, almost like teleporting.
Bullet didn't move, simply throwing a punch. Their Haki-infused fists collided, unleashing a powerful shockwave of Conqueror's Haki.
"You too?" Draken said in surprise. He had rarely encountered anyone with Conqueror's Haki, yet today he had met two. It made him question his own beliefs. His mentor had told him that Conqueror's Haki was incredibly rare, possessed by only one in a million people. Was that really true?
"It's not wise to lose focus in battle," Bullet said, taking advantage of Draken's momentary distraction. He deflected Draken's punch and landed a powerful blow to his abdomen.
Draken grunted in pain, unable to use his Haki in time to defend.
Bullet followed up with another Haki-infused punch.
Draken's eyes bulged, and saliva flew from his mouth as he doubled over from the impact.
"Cough, cough." He coughed up blood.
"You bastard! You'll pay for that!" Draken's eyes turned blood red, and fangs sprouted from his mouth. He dropped to all fours, his body undergoing a transformation.
"A Zoan?" Bullet was surprised but excited. "An Ancient Zoan, perhaps? A Saber-Toothed Tiger?"
Draken's form shifted, growing larger and more ferocious, becoming a fearsome beast.
"Roar!" He lunged at Bullet, his eyes burning with rage.
"Now this is interesting," Bullet said with a satisfied grin.
"I'll tear you to shreds!" Draken vanished, his speed amplified by his Zoan form.
"He's gotten faster," Bullet noted, surprised. He turned and threw a punch, but to his astonishment, Draken's strength had also increased significantly.
"Hahaha! This is getting better and better!" Bullet laughed, his own punches becoming faster and more powerful, matching Draken's ferocity.
He remained focused, however, wary of Draken's fangs. A bite from those would be devastating.
Their battle intensified, moving from the hideout into the surrounding forest. Trees shattered as they exchanged blows, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.
"Are you even human?" Draken asked, panting. Even in his Zoan form, he couldn't gain the upper hand. Bullet seemed inexhaustible, his strength and speed increasing to match Draken's. Every time Draken thought Bullet had reached his limit, he would prove him wrong.
"You can call me a monster," Bullet grinned.
'Monster...' Draken had often been called that himself, but now he was the one using the term.
"Alright. It's time to end this."
Bullet's muscles bulged, and his eyes hardened with determination
"What... is this?" Draken felt a surge of fear, sensing Bullet's power skyrocket
This was Bullet, drawing upon his immense Conqueror's Haki
"Behold, the pinnacle of my strength!"
Bullet activated his Devil Fruit, his body fragmenting into countless pieces. The fragments then rapidly reformed and combined with the debris and wreckage of the battlefield, transforming Bullet into a colossal, metallic monstrosity
"No... This is impossible!" Draken's eyes widened in horror as the monstrous Bullet towered over him
"Buster Cannon!" Bullet unleashed a devastating energy blast from his chest, obliterating Draken and leaving nothing but a smoking crater.